Johor-Singapore RTS: Almost 33% Completed

State Works, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh says work on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project is progressing well

0
724
Photo credits RTS Link JB-SG Facebook page

The project to build the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is moving along well and has now finished 32.42% of the work, including the depots, stations, land lines, and marine lines.

Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh, the chairman of the State Works, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, stated that the Johor government is dedicated to making sure that the high-impact public transportation project will be operational in 2026.

“To ensure this project development runs smoothly, a task force was set up on 21 October 2020 to help facilitate any matters related to the state government such as land issues and so forth, with PLANMalaysia Johor as its Secretariat.

“We expect the project infrastructure to be completed in December 2024 and operational by December 2026. So far we are running on schedule and the project development is closely monitored by the Ministry of Transport,” he told at a press conference after visiting the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link site at Marine Viaduct here.

According to him, the commencement of the service would let Malaysians and Singaporeans travel more easily considering the trains can carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction.

The RTS Link is a four-kilometer shuttle service that connects Malaysia at Bukit Chagar station with Singapore at Woodlands North station.

Regarding the recommendation that a Light Rail Transit (LRT) service be established in this city, Mohamad Fazli stated that although the state government is always open to suggestions, Johor already has other forms of public transportation. Therefore, the issue requires a more thorough examination.

A private company apparently planned to build an LRT in the city on 28 March, but according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, the topic was still in the proposal stage.

As for the smooth movement of vehicles at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri, Mohamad Fazli said the state government will soon hold a coordination meeting with the Malaysian Immigration Department to plan for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

“As usual, during every festive season as well the general election period, meetings are held to discuss on the increase in the number of buses, opening of special lanes, more counters, security guards, RELA (Malaysian Volunteers Department) personnel and so forth to facilitate those entering and leaving Malaysia,” he said.